Two inmates arrested after cellphones, drugs found in prison cells

Department of Corrections inmates Shawn Johnson and Bruno Simmons were arrested on Sept. 5 after a shakedown of the prison found alleged contraband in their prison cells.
Jasmine Stole/PDN

Bruno Simmons is escorted to the Guam Police Department Hagatna precinct upon his arrest on the latest Department of Corrections contraband case on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Simmons and another inmate Shawn Paul Johnson were arrested after a shakedown of the prison over the weekend, according to police.(Photo: Masako Watanabe/PDN)

Shawn Paul Johnson, 30, and Bruno Frankie Simmons, 30, inmates at the Department of Corrections were arrested after a shakedown of the prison Friday and Saturday found contraband in their prison cells, Balajadia said.

DOC Director Alberto "Tony" Lamorena V said Simmons and Johnson each had a cellphone. In addition, "a small amount of Schedule II narcotics" were found during this weekend's random shakedown, Lamorena said.

They were both housed in Post 6, the prison's maximum security unit.

Johnson was arrested on suspicion of promoting major prison contraband, Balajadia said. Simmons was arrested on suspicion of promoting major prison contraband and possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, he said.

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In this file photo, Shawn Paul Johnson is escorted by Department of Corrections officers to the Guam Police Department Hagåtña precinct upon his arrest on the latest DOC contraband case on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Johnson and another inmate Bruno Simmons were arrested after a shakedown of the prison over the weekend, according to police. Masako Watanabe/PDN

Shawn Paul Johnson is escorted by Department of Corrections officers from the Guam Police Department Hagatna precinct upon his arrest on the latest DOC contraband case on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Johnson and another inmate Bruno Simmons were arrested after a shakedown of the prison over the weekend, according to police. Masako Watanabe/PDN

Shawn Paul Johnson is escorted by a Department of Corrections officer from the Guam Police Department Hagatna precinct upon his arrest on the latest DOC contraband case on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Johnson and another inmate Bruno Simmons were arrested after a shakedown of the prison over the weekend, according to police. Masako Watanabe/PDN

Bruno Simmons is escorted to the Guam Police Department Hagatna precinct upon his arrest on the latest Department of Corrections contraband case on Tuesday, Sept. 5. Simmons and another inmate Shawn Paul Johnson were arrested after a shakedown of the prison over the weekend, according to police. Masako Watanabe/PDN

Bruno Simmons is escorted to the Guam Police Department Hagatna precinct upon his arrest on the latest Department of Corrections contraband case on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Simmons and another inmate Shawn Paul Johnson were arrested after a shakedown of the prison over the weekend, according to police. Masako Watanabe/PDN

Bruno Simmons is escorted from the Guam Police Department Hagatna precinct upon his arrest on the latest Department of Corrections contraband case on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017. Simmons and another inmate Shawn Paul Johnson were arrested after a shakedown of the prison over the weekend, according to police. Masako Watanabe/PDN

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The prison launched an investigation to find out how the two inmates obtained cellphones again after last month's shakedown that led to the arrest of five DOC officers. Lamorena said DOC is looking into whether other officers snuck in the prohibited items or if the phones were brought in by the food vendor.

Inmates in Post 6 aren't allowed to go the galley for their food, the director said.

"Food is brought in. So it could've been hidden in the food or brought in by personnel. So we're looking at every angle at this point," Lamorena said.

The prison will continue to conduct random shakedowns to curb infiltration of contraband.

Previous case

Johnson and Simmons previously were found with cellphones, and the phone records revealed they were contacting corrections officers, court documents state.

Officers detained

After they were arrested on Aug. 24, Limo, the highest ranking of the prison officers charged, spent the night confined to a training room adjacent to Lamorena's office, DOC Deputy Director Kate Baltazar confirmed, for his protection.

Two special operations corrections officers were assigned to monitor the room were Limo was housed.

"He was monitored the same way as (a) detainee," Baltazar said.

The director's office is in a separate building at the Mangilao prison compound.

As for the other arrested corrections officers, they were detained at the Hagåtña precinct on Aug. 24, Baltazar said.

Limo has been at the prison for about 27 years, about seven of which spent in the prison's Internal Affairs Division, off and on, Baltazar said.

Inmates and officers have been disciplined because of some of Limo's Internal Affairs cases, she said.